The U.S’ WORST NIGHTMARE: Is a GERMAN-RUSSIAN ALLIANCE on the Horizon?

By Dmitry Rodionov

The US is anxious over the upcoming meeting between Putin and Merkel to be held on September 18 in Berlin. The Americans have always feared a unification of Russian resources and German technology.

In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper, the leader of the German Left party and Bundestag deputy Sarah Wagenknecht explained this: “The US is pursuing its own interests, and with the arrival of Trump, they have resorted to aggressive methods. Their interests are contrary to European interests on the most important issues – and not only economic ones. With its wars for resources, the United States has destabilized the Middle East and is continuing to do so in Iran. At the same time, Europe is the first to pay for such. We should not submit to a policy that is contrary to our interests,” she said.

According to Wagenknecht, bad relations with Russia also contradict Europe’s interests.

“The United States has always been afraid of Russian resources being combined German technology — and rightly so,” the German politician added.

The European Union, in her opinion, should develop fruitful cooperation with Moscow.

The Russian political analyst and head of the Crimean Project expert group, Igor Ryabov, has commented on this question: “The United States is not merely afraid of energy rapprochement between Russia and Europe — they have been working against this rapprochement across all of history.”

“The United States came out of European migration to a new continent, and historical memory has left them to keep Europe under their control. In global politics, this is called the ‘Atlantic world.’ But precisely that which has held this world together for centuries is what is being destroyed today: the tools of the global economy. Europe’s dependence on energy supplies from the US is simply unprofitable. In the 1990s, the Atlantic alliance failed to get close to Russian energy, and from an historical perspective, now it has reached the point of crisis. Previously this crisis was latent or veiled, but under Trump it has blossomed with bright colors,” the expert explained.

Svobodaya Pressa:How realistic is the unification of German technology and Russian resources? What could happen “on the way out?”

Ryabkov: “Such a technological alliance is very beneficial for us. Moreover, Russia is ready to cooperate in the sphere of high technologies, not only with Europe but also with Asia – namely Korea and Japan. We are involving civil technologies through joint projects. It is not always successful, because there is serious resistance both in global competition and within Russia. Take, for example, the ‘digital project’ imposed on us, in which we were persuaded to invest in only one of the tools, and far from the main one.”

SP: According to Wagenknecht, the US’ interests contradict those of Europe on the most important issues — and not only economic. Is that so? Is it really that categorical?

Ryabkov: ‘It is fully categorically, and the crisis is obvious. Trump’s merit is that he, by virtue of his personality, has exacerbated the entire agenda of global peace problems, taking the side of the direct interests of the United States. He has started speaking frankly. Previously, the interests of the United States were camouflaged under deceptive rosy dreams which deceived European elite. Now there is no deception, and Europeans are facing a dissonance – they perceive the disappearance of these illusions as deception. Notice how quiet the main agents of US influence in Europe, EU officials, have been. They are simply not on the agenda today. They are frightened and sorrowful at the same time. They, too, were deceived. Formally, they have a lot of power, but in reality not.”

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SP: The German MP believes that Europe needs to develop fruitful cooperation with Moscow. How popular is this view in the EU today? Who shares it?

Ryabkov: “Cooperation with Moscow is the main ‘fetish’ of anti-globalists. But calls for cooperation have very often not actually been worth anything, as is the case with the ‘demonstrative visits’ to Crimea…To cooperate with Russia, altogether different operations are needed: laws, decisions, and the removal of the pro-American elite from leading positions. But the new tone is already good. The concrete details will come.

“Today we are in a phase of serious changes. Like any tectonic shift, it could both demolish the old world or freeze it in place and solidify the current situation. Predictions are useless, one only needs to observe where this is all heading. And of course if something radical happens, Russia’s task is to not fall under the rubble of crumbling global structures. One example of such a safety net would be getting away from Western financial reserves and currencies.”

Meanwhile, Vadim Trukhachev, a senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign Regional Studies and Foreign Policy of the Russian State University for the Humanities, believes: “If achieved, an alliance of Russian resources and German technology could have a lot to offer.”

The expert continued: “Both sides will receive the missing links in the chain of production, a large market, and the opportunity to oust competitors – first and foremost the Americans. However, this does not mean that there will be no problems within such an alliance. But for competitors it will still be an eyesore.”

SP: Is the US really afraid of this?

Trukhachev: “Yes, the US is afraid of this. A hypothetical alliance between Russia and Germany would be a blow to their economic interests, and jeopardize their military and political interests as well. They will have to explain for a long time why Germany needs 174 American military facilities if Russia is not a threat.”

SP: According to Wagenknecht, the US’ interests contradict those of Europe on the most important issues — and not only economic. Is that so? Is such really that categorical?

Trukhachev: “Europe and the United States have differences in the economy and in politics. In particular, they have different views on Iran, Palestine, and to a certain extent Ukraine. If you remove the imaginary Russian threat, these differences will make themselves felt even more.”

SP:What really hinders the development of cooperation between Russia and Germany? Under what conditions can the situation change?

Trukhachev: American influence and German prejudices against Russia are hindering this. The Germans see us as a rival even without any ‘hints’ from across the ocean. Germans need to see other threats that outweigh the imaginary Russian one – such as the Islamist threat to Europe or the endless and senseless American wars – both hot and cold.”

SP: How far is the US ready to go to prevent cooperation between Russia and Europe? How long will they be able to do so?

Trukhachev: “As long as Europeans remain prejudiced against Russia, the US will use them. Prejudices have accumulated over the centuries, and will disappear only after at least some decades. Plus, Russia needs to work with European civil society and politicians to show an example of how we can successfully and peacefully develop.”

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